Experts believe it's largely because so many Americans take cholesterol-lowering drugs like Lipitor.

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Experts believe it's largely because so many Americans take cholesterol-lowering drugs, but dropping smoking rates and other factors also contributed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the report Tuesday. The numbers come from interviews and blood tests of nearly than 6,000 U.S. adults in 2009 and 2010.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in the blood. Too much total cholesterol is a risk for heart disease. The government set a goal that no more than 17 percent of adults have high total cholesterol. The goal was achieved about five years ago for women and more than ten years ago for men.

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